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Spillman Imaging Technology

Written by Tracy Hernandez

Spillman introduced its photo imaging module in 2004 with the release of Summit 4.0. The module is an easy-to-use, comprehensive application for downloading, capturing, searching, editing, organizing, and sharing digital images.

Users can import or capture images from scanners, digital cameras, a hard drive, or a network, and attach them to records for easy accessibility. Images can also be easily cut and pasted from other applications. Each record can have hundreds of images attached in several different formats. A thumbnail will appear in the top right corner of the record, and can be enlarged by simply double-clicking on the image. If a record has more than one image attached, the user can specify which one appears as the thumbnail.

These high-quality images provide excellent reference for people, property, vehicle, and incident scenes during an investigation, and can also be used to identify individuals who may misrepresent themselves to officers.

Earlier this year, Surprise, AZ Police Department was on the lookout for an individual who was wanted for questioning on felony identity theft charges. Using its Spillman Mobile system, the Surprise PD disseminated an Attempt To Locate (ATL), and attached a photo of the suspect to his record. Because the police department had recently begun using Spillman’s mobile software, the ATL was available, along with the suspect’s record and photo, to officers in their mobile units.

Someone reported seeing the suspect at a local bookstore, but when officers arrived on the scene, he attempted to give them a false name. The officers were able to positively identify him using the photo attached to his record in the Spillman system, and they were also able to determine that he had another warrant for his arrest. The suspect was immediately taken into custody. Without the imaging module, the officers may not have been able to identify the suspect when he gave them false information.

In Whitefish Bay, WI a dispatch call went out for a burglary in progress. Officers arrived at the scene and discovered that the homeowner had taken the burglar’s personal backpack, which contained identification. Lieutenant Mike Harper of the Whitefish Bay Police Department immediately sent out a short description of the suspect using the department’s mobile instant messaging feature.

He then took the suspect information back to the station and was able to get a photograph of the suspect from the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Lieutenant Harper downloaded and inserted that photo into Whitefish Bay’s Spillman system (which they share with two other surrounding agencies, Glendale PD and Shorewood PD), and sent a photo of the suspect out to all mobile patrol units.

After sending the photo and name record out, Lieutenant Harper made a quick “wanted” poster of the suspect, as well as a photo line-up. In about 15 minutes, he was back at the scene with the photo line-up, and the victim was able to positively identify the burglar.

“Less than 20 minutes after that call went out, officers from Whitefish Bay PD, Shorewood PD, and Glendale PD were driving around town with a photo, description, and wanted posters of the suspect,” said Glendale Police Captain Larry Rittberg. “It was amazing.”

Spillman’s imaging module also includes simple editing and exporting features, allowing users to easily adjust photos for better contrast, brightness, or sharpness, and to copy and paste images into other applications. The software is fully compatible with standards issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).Tracy Hernandez is the Public Relations Coordinator for Spillman Technologies and may be reached via thernandez@spillman.com.